U.S. patent application number 11/894942 was filed with the patent office on 2008-07-31 for combination money clip and credit card holder.
This patent application is currently assigned to Nicole Products, LLC. Invention is credited to Mahesh Lakhiani.
Application Number | 20080178976 11/894942 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39666605 |
Filed Date | 2008-07-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080178976 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lakhiani; Mahesh |
July 31, 2008 |
Combination money clip and credit card holder
Abstract
A combination paper currency holder and rigid plastic card
holder which has a planar base plate and in which a first resilient
clip is integrally formed along one edge of the base plate and a
second resilient clip is integrally formed along an opposite edge
of the base plate. The first resilient clip securely hold paper
currency to one side of the base plate and the second resilient
clip securely holds plastic cards, such as credit cards, to the
other side of the base plate. A pair of guide members are
integrally formed with side edges of the other side of the base
plate and assist in retaining the plastic cards against the base
plate.
Inventors: |
Lakhiani; Mahesh; (Denville,
NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KNECHTEL, DEMEUR & SAMLAN
525 W. MONROE STREET, SUITE 2360
CHICAGO
IL
60661
US
|
Assignee: |
Nicole Products, LLC
|
Family ID: |
39666605 |
Appl. No.: |
11/894942 |
Filed: |
August 22, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60898031 |
Jan 29, 2007 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
150/137 ;
150/147 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C 1/06 20130101; A45C
11/182 20130101; A45C 2001/062 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
150/137 ;
150/147 |
International
Class: |
A45C 1/06 20060101
A45C001/06 |
Claims
1. A one-piece combination paper currency holder and rigid plastic
card holder comprising: a base plate having front and back
substantially planar opposed surfaces; two opposed longitudinally
extending side edges; two opposed transversely extending end edges
having a width substantially equal to the width of a credit card;
the two end edges extending between opposed ends of the
longitudinally extending side edges; a first resilient retaining
member integrally formed with the base plate along one of the two
opposed transversely extending end edges, the first resilient
retaining member being biased toward and engaging in compression
the front planar surface; a second resilient retaining member
integrally formed with the base plate along the other of the two
opposed transversely extending end edges, the second resilient
retaining member being biased toward and engaging in compression
the back planar surface; and a pair of opposed guide members
integrally formed with the base plate, one guide member formed
along one of the opposed side edges and the other formed along the
other of the opposed side edges, the guide members extending from
the base plate and defining a credit card receiving area there
between, whereby paper currency is securely retained between the
first resilient retaining member and the front surface and the
rigid plastic cards are securely retained between the second
resilient retaining member, back planar surface and opposed guide
member.
2. The one-piece combination paper currency holder and rigid
plastic card holder of claim 1 wherein the first resilient
retaining member is joined to the base plate along one of the two
opposed transversely extending end edges by a continuously curved
joining portion.
3. The one-piece combination paper currency holder and rigid
plastic card holder of claim 1 wherein the second resilient
retaining member comprises an upstanding flat planar wall extending
from the other of the two opposed transversely extending end edges,
and a second substantially flat planar surface extending from the
upstanding flat planar wall defining a gap for receiving one or
more rigid plastic cards between the base plate and the second
substantially flat planar surface, the rigid plastic cards securely
captured between the base plate, at least a portion of the second
substantially flat planar surface, and planar wall.
4. The one-piece combination paper currency holder and rigid
plastic card holder of claim 3 where the upstanding flat planar
wall has a height of between 0.20 and 0.40 inches.
5. The one-piece combination paper currency holder and rigid
plastic card holder of claim 1 wherein the pair of opposed guide
members extend at substantially 90.degree. with respect to the base
plate.
6. The one-piece combination paper currency holder and rigid
plastic card holder of claim 1 wherein the pair of opposed guide
members extend at an obtuse angle with respect to the base
plate.
7. The one-piece combination paper currency holder and rigid
plastic card holder of claim 3 wherein the guide members and the
upstanding flat planar wall are substantially the same height above
the base plate.
8. A one-piece combination paper currency holder and credit card
holder comprising: a rectangular base plate having front and back
substantially planar opposed surfaces, the base plate having a
length which is equal to or shorter than the length of a credit
card and a width that is equal to or larger than the width of a
credit card; two opposed longitudinally extending side edges
defining the length of the base plate; two opposed transversely
extending end edges defining a width of the base plate; a first
resilient retaining member integrally formed with the base plate
along one of the two opposed transversely extending end edges and
extending from the one of the two opposed transversely extending
end edges over the front planar surface, the first resilient
retaining member being biased toward and engaging in compression
the front planar surface; a second resilient retaining member
integrally formed with the base plate along the other of the two
opposed transversely extending end edges and extending from the
other of the two opposed transversely extending end edges over the
back planar surface, the second resilient retaining member being
biased toward and engaging in compression the back planar surface;
and a pair of opposed guide members integrally formed with the base
plate, one guide member formed along one of the opposed side edges
and the other formed along the other of the opposed side edges, the
guide members extending from the base plate and defining a credit
card receiving area there between, whereby paper currency is
securely retained between the first resilient retaining member and
the front surface and the credit cards are securely retained
between the second resilient retaining member, back planar surface
and opposed guide member.
9. The one-piece combination paper currency holder and credit card
holder of claim 8 wherein the second resilient retaining member
comprises an upstanding flat planar wall extending from the other
of the two opposed transversely extending end edges, and a second
substantially flat planar surface extending from the upstanding
flat planar wall defining a gap for receiving one or more rigid
plastic cards between the base plate and the second substantially
flat planar surface, the credit cards securely captured between the
base plate, at least a portion of the second substantially flat
planar surface, and planar wall.
10. The one-piece combination paper currency holder and credit card
holder of claim 9 where the upstanding flat planar wall has a
height of between 0.20 and 0.40 inches.
11. The one-piece combination paper currency holder and credit card
holder of claim 8 wherein the pair of opposed guide members extend
at substantially 90.degree. with respect to the base plate.
12. The one-piece combination paper currency holder and credit card
holder of claim 8 wherein the pair of opposed guide members extend
at an obtuse angle with respect to the base plate.
13. The one-piece combination paper currency holder and credit card
holder of claim 9 wherein the guide members and the upstanding flat
planar wall are substantially the same height above the base plate.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is based on and claims the priority of
Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/898,031 filed Jan. 29,
2007.
I. BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to currency and credit card holders
and more particularly to a holder which is designed to hold paper
money on one side and credit cards and the like on the other side.
Alternately, the holder can hold paper money and/or credit cards on
either or both sides.
[0003] One side of the money clip is better adapted to receive and
hold credit cards while the opposite side is better adapted for
receiving and holding paper money. There are no sharp corners or
moving parts which make the money clip easy to place in one's
pocket without the fear of tearing or snagging one's clothing.
Furthermore, it is very thin so that it doesn't create an unsightly
bulge in the wearer's pocket.
[0004] The money clip can be made of a simple, one-piece
construction. This can be manufactured from a single sheet of metal
which can be bent and formed into the inventive money clip or
molded from plastic.
II. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the inventive combination
money clip and credit card holder;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the combination money clip
and credit card holder with the left side view being a mirror image
thereof;
[0007] FIG. 3 is a front view of the combination money clip and
credit card holder;
[0008] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the combination money clip and
credit card holder;
[0009] FIG. 5 is a top view of the combination money clip and
credit card holder;
[0010] FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the combination money clip and
credit card holder.
[0011] FIG. 7 is a cross section view taken along line 7-7 of FIG.
4.
[0012] FIG. 8 is a bottom view of an alternate embodiment in which
the credit card guides are u-shaped.
III. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0013] Turning first to FIGS. 1 and 4, there is illustrated the
reversible money clip 10 of the present invention. There is a base
plate 12 having a width W and a height H. As illustrated, the width
and height are approximately equal to but slightly greater than the
width and height of a credit card. Alternately the width W may be
equal to or greater than a credit card and the height H may be less
than or equal to the height of a credit card. There are two opposed
longitudinally extending side edges 13 and two opposed transversely
extending end edges 15. The substantially flat base plate 12 has a
credit card clip 14 along one edge of the width of the base plate
12. The credit card clip 14, as seen in FIG. 2, is formed by a
perpendicular wall 16 extending at approximately a 90.degree. angle
from the base plate 12. The height of the perpendicular wall 16 is
preferably between 0.20 and 0.40 inches and preferably 0.25 inches,
which, is not too thick to be placed in one's pants pocket but
which is sufficient to accommodate several credit cards. The
perpendicular wall 16 then turns at an acute angle and joins with a
compression plate 17 extending back over the base plate 12 to form
the credit card clip 14. This forms a gap between the base plate 12
and the compression plate 17 to receive credit cards. The
compression plate 17 is biased towards the base plate 12 such that
when credit cards are inserted between the compression plate 17 and
the base plate 12, the compression plate 17 will compress and hold
the credit cards against the base plate 12. When no credit cards
are place between the compression plate 17 and the base plate 12, a
compression point 18 adjacent to a distal end 19 of the compression
plate 17 will be biased against the base plate 12.
[0014] In the preferred embodiment there are upstanding side tabs
or guide members 20 on the opposed longitudinally extending side
edges 13 of the plate 12. The upstanding tabs 20 extend at
approximately 90.degree. from the base plate 12. Alternatively they
may be slightly flared outward at an obtuse angle with respect to
the base plate 12 away from each other so that credit cards can be
easily inserted between the side tabs 20. The height of the tabs 20
should not exceed the height of the wall 16 so that the low profile
of the money clip 10 is maintained. Furthermore there is no reason
for the height of the side tabs 20 to exceed the height of the wall
16 as the height of the wall 16 dictates the number of credit cards
that can be inserted.
[0015] FIG. 8 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the upstanding
tabs 20. There are channels 22 and 23 which are on opposite edges
along the height of the base plate 12. As can be seen in FIG. 8,
the channels 22 and 23 extend up from the base plate 12 in a
U-shaped configuration. The height H2 of the U-shaped channels 22
and 23 is approximately the same height as the perpendicular wall
16, i.e. approximately 0.25 inches. Thus, credit cards inserted
into the credit card clip 14, will not only be retained against the
flat perpendicular wall 16, but also guided and held in place by
the U-shaped channels 22 and 23.
[0016] In FIG. 3, the opposite side of the base plate 12 is
illustrated. There is a currency clip 24 which is adapted to
receive and retain paper currency. As seen in FIG. 2, the currency
clip 24 is formed as an extension of the base plate 12 by means of
a curved bend 26 which bends back over the base plate 12 to form
the currency clip 24. A distal end 27 of the currency clip 24 is
biased against and engages the base plate 12 such that it securely
holds paper currency between the distal end 27 and the base plate
12. When no currency is inserted, the distal end 27 is biased
against and engages the base plate 12.
[0017] With this inventive design, it is possible to manufacture
the entire dual sided money clip 10 from one piece of material,
preferably corrosion resistant metal such as stainless steel. The
credit card clip 14 and currency clip 24 can be formed from a
unitary piece of metal by bending the credit card clip 14 and
currency clip 24 to form these two pieces as integral extensions
from the base plate 12. Similarly, the channels 20 and 22 can be
bent from a singular piece of metal as an extension from the base
plate 12. Alternatively the money clip 10 can be manufactured from
plastic by any of several conventionally available molding
operations.
[0018] Of course, the reversible money clip 10 can have paper
currency inserted on either side or credit cards inserted on either
side. However, the perpendicular wall 16 in conjunction with the
channels 20 and 22 are better suited to receive and hold credit
cards while the currency clip 24 on the opposite side is better
suited to receive paper currency.
[0019] Thus, there has been provided a one-piece reversible credit
card and money clip holder which is particularly well adapted to
receive paper currency on one side and credit cards on the opposite
side. The credit card clip and currency clip are biased against
opposite sides of a common base plate to securely retain the paper
currency and credit cards against opposite surfaces of the base
plate 12.
[0020] While the invention has been described in conjunction with a
specific embodiment, it is evident that many alternatives,
modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in
the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is
intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and
variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the appended
claims.
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